A Whole New Life Back In An Old Place

By Emily Carol

Chapter 9

But It Couldn't Be Him

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Disclaimer: I'm 13 years old (almost 14) and you seem to think I own Gilmore Girls. What are you on?

Summary: For a reason unknown to anyone but herself Rory Gilmore fled her life with no trace when she was 20. It's 12 years later and she's back in Stars Hollow with a whole new look and personality to see how life went without her, positive she won't be recognized as Leah Haden. Until she realizes, maybe she never wanted to unrecognizable in the first place.

Rating- PG to be safe

Genre- General/Mystery(ish)

A/N- Thanks Reviewers!

Java Junkie1 - The Definition of cliffhanger is; what Emily enjoys using on all her lovely, lovely readers for pretty much every chapter of A Whole New Life Back In An Old Place.

Thena - I know that the chapters a short, I'm working on it. I'm glad you love this story so much.

You know what I realized today, my birthday's in 22 days! (although sadly school starts in 20 days, my birthday is sadly right after school starts, although it's a Saturday this year). Okay, actually I've realized that for awhile, but I just looked at the date thing on my computer and it's the 8th so, yeah. I'll shut up now.

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"Why did you just drag me countless places for no reason?" Rory ask Jess as they started driving back towards Stars Hollow.

"It wasn't for no reason," Jess said.

"That would explain the five loops we made of my grandparents block before stopping to tell them the truth and the loop around the edge of downtown Hartford," Rory said to him. "You're up to something."

Jess smiled. "That's right," he said. "I am." He stopped the car and parked it right outside of Stars Hollow. He got out of the car. "Come here," he motioned to her. She got out and he blindfolded her.

"Where are we going?" Rory asked.

"Just trust me," Jess said. He lead her somewhere and he pulled off the blindfold around her eyes.

"SURPRISE!" The whole town of Stars Hollow stood before her underneath a sign, 'Welcome Back Rory!' it read.

Rory smiled. 'Oh my God,' she thought to herself as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. 'I can't believe it.'

Lorelai ran up to her and gave her a hug with Luke and Jennifer trailing her. Lorelai let go of her. "You like it?"

"I love it," Rory said smiling.

Luke gave her a hug, "We missed you Rory."

"I missed you too," Rory said. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for your wedding."

"It's okay," Luke said smiling at her. Jennifer stood before Rory and silence fell over the whole town. They all stood looking to see what Jennifer would say to this sister she never knew.

"Welcome back Rory," Jennifer said as she threw her arms around Rory's waist to give her a hug.

Rory put her arms around her sister and the two stood there sharing their bond of sisterhood, nine years later than both Rory and Jennifer would have liked.

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Rory wandered around the center of Stars Hollow greeting everyone and catching up with everything she missed.

She stopped over by Kirk's t-shirt stand and picked up the one for today, 'Rory Gilmore Returns'. She smiled and set it down and went back to mingling in the crowd.

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Jess stood near the kids playing their games to keep his eye on Jennifer. He saw Rory walk away from Kirk's t-shirt stand smiling and going to talk to Sookie again.

Someone Jess didn't recognize walked up to the t-shirt stand and looked at the t-shirt for the day, which Jess knew for a fact said 'Rory Gilmore Returns'. The man's gaze turned to look at Rory as she talked to Sookie and Sookie's oldest daughter Dana.

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Rory felt someone looking at her and she turned around to see a man standing by Kirk's t-shirt stand.

But it couldn't be him.

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A/N- I hope you enjoyed this chapter! R&R please!

(Very sorry that it's so short, especially to Thena 'cause I know you don't like that their so short, but otherwise I didn't get the cliffhanger I wanted. Because as Java Junkie1 knows, I love cliffhangers!)